Push button control device for radio receivers



Oct.14, 1941. H. w. RUBINSTEIN 2,258,690

PUSH BUTTON CONTROL DEVICE FOR RADIO RECEIVERS Filed Oct. 9, 1939 5 Sheets-Sheet l msu/af/on ATTORNEY.

Oct. 14, 1941. H. w. RUBINSTEIN 2,258,690

PUSH BUTTON CONTROL DEVICE FOR RADIO RECEIVERS Filed Oct. 9, 1939 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 BY K L0. M Q

ATTORNEY.

Oct. 14, 1941. H. w. RUBINSTEIN 2,253,690

PUSH BUTTON CONTROL DEVICE FOR RADIO RECEIVERS Filed Oct. 9, 1939 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 BY QM ATTORNEY.

. inexpensive to manufacture.

' Patented Dim-14, 1941- PUSH BUTTON comor. pavroa FOB namo RECEIVERS mm w. Rubinstein, Milwaukee, Wis., assignor to Globe-Union, Ino., Milwaukee, Wis a cornation of Delaware Application October 9, 1939, Serial No. 298,588

1 Claim.

This invention relates to an improvement in electrical control devices for use with radio receivers.

One of the objects of the invention is to provide a novel control device of this. character, which is so constituted and organized as to make practical the use of a single control knob for regulating the action of a'plurality of control instrumentalities. For example, the device is operable to exercise control over the volume or tone of the receiver, as well as the progressive automatic tuning thereof and the operation of its on-and-off switch, or it may be adapted for use in a structure which affords manual tuning as well as progressive automatic tuning of the receiver.

Another object of the invention is to provide a controldevice'of this character, which is simple and compact, as well as rugged and durable in construction, which may be fabricated largely from sheet metal parts, and is composed of a minimum number of parts which insures good reception and is otherwise reliable and eilicient in operation, and which is easy and comparatively Other objects and advantages reside in certain novel features of the construction, arrangement and combination of parts, which will be hereinafter more fully described and particularly pointed out in the appended claim, referencebe- 30 ing had to the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification, and in which:

Figure 1 is aview in elevation showing one side of an electric control device embodying the present invention and of the type where a single 35 knob is operable to effect progressive automatic tuning of a radio receiver, as well as of the oper- 5 struction, and electrically connected in a wellation of its volume or tone control and its on or of! switch.

Figure 2 is a view similar to Figure 1 but 11- lustrating the opposite side of the device from that shown in Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a view in vertical cross section taken on line 3-3 of Figure 4.

, Figure 4 is a view in top plan of the control device shown in Figures 1 to 3.

Figures 5 and 6 are views in vertical cross section taken on lines 5! and F8, respectively, of Figure 4, and looking in the direction of the arrows.

Figure '7 is a view similar to Figure 1 but show-, ing the control device combined with a variable condenser instead of with a volume or tone control and on and of! switch.

pressed in in a manner shown in Figure 8; and

Figure 10 is a group view in perspective showing the H-frame, its associated shaft, ratchet wheel, and ratchet lever.

Referring to the drawings, it will be seen that in both embodiments of the invention the control device comprises a channel-shaped sheet metal mounting plate, designated generally at l0, and including a body portion II and flanges l2 bent at right angles to the body portion. This mounting plate is fastened in any suitable way on the chassis of the radio receiver or on a bracket provided therefor on the chassis.

For the purpose of effecting progressive automatic tuning of the receiver the control device of the present invention incorporates in its construction switch sections S and S' of similar conknown fmhion with the tuning circuits of the receiver. identical in construction and are supported by an H-shaped frame designated generally at II, which is in turn supported on the mounting plate It.

The details of the construction of the switch sections 8 and S per se form no part of the present invention and are fully disclosed and claimed in the application of John S. Coldwell for Switches, filed September 20, 1939, Serial No. 295,707, and owned by the assignee of this application.

' For the purposes of the present invention it is sufficient to bear in mind that each switch section has an annular stator ll of insulating material surrounding a disc-like rotor l5 also of insulating material. Each stator I4 has long and short stator contact clips I6 fixed thereto, the short stator contact clips It being cooperable with the rotor contact lugs I1 and the long contact clips with the rotor contact lugs l8.

As shown to especial advantage in Figure 10, the H-shaped frame I3 is made up of two similar U-shaped sheet metal sections or members l9, which have their body portions 20 placed back to back and spot-welded together. The legs 2| of the two sheet metal sections IQ of the H-frame l3 are alined with each other but extend in opposite directions, and at their outer Figure 8 is a view similar to Figure 1 but illusas ends are each of step formation to provide shoul- These switch sections S and S are lapping inside of the body of the mounting plate just beyond the ends of these slots, and the shoulders 23 of these same legs being then split or upset as at 23' into fastening engagement with the outside face-of the body of the mounting plate. The extreme outer ends or tips of the legs of both sections l9 of the H-shaped frame l3 pass through openings provided therefor in the'stators M of both switch sections S and S, and they are also split or upset as at 24 for fastening engagement .therewith, the stators abutting against the outermost shoulders 24.

The rotors |5 of the switch sections S and S have central slots in which the flattened ends 25' of the switch-operating shaft 25 are snugly .fitted, whereby the shaft 25 is rotatably coupled to the rotors |5 with the result that as the shaft 25 is turned the rotors l5 are turned to bring the legs ll successively into engagement with the short stator contact clip Hi. It is obvious that the long stator clips I6 are always engaged with the rotor contact rings l8.

The shajt'25 is supported for rotation in a bearing opening 25 provided therefor in the body portion ll of the mounting plate l0, and

also in bearing openings provided therefor in the body portion 2|! in the sections of the H-shaped frame, the H-shaped frame thus affording an outboard bearing for the switchoperating shaft 25. I

For the purpose of imparting a step-by-step turning movement of the'shaft 25, and consequently also to its rotors i5, a ratchet wheel 30 is suitably fixed to the shaft adjacent the face of one of the body portions of its sections.

- As illustrated in Figure 10, the ratchet wheel and shaft have interfltting knurls or serrations 3|, which may be press-fitted into interlocking engagement. A ratchet lever 32 is provided and is constructed of a piece of flat sheet metal having an opening 33 intermediate'its ends, whereby it may be fitted over and hence fulcrumed on the shaft 25. The body of thelever flatly abuts one face of the ratchet wheel and is thereby held against axial movement in one. direction.

Axial movement of the ratchet lever 32 in an opposite direction is prevented by the provision of a spacing eyelet 34 on the shaft between one face of the ratchet lever and the adjacent portion of the body of the mounting bracket, as clearly shown in Figure 4. One end portion of the lever 32 has a lug 35 formed integral therewith and extended at right angles thereto. A spring detent or pawl 36 has one end riveted or otherwise fastened to the lug 35, and has its free end engageable and cooperable with the teeth of the ratchet wheel 30.

A manually actuated control shaft, designated generally at 40, is provided and is disposed above the shaft 25 and at right angles thereto. The

shaft 40 has an outer section 4| of circular cross section supported for rotation and for axial sliding movement in a bearing opening 42 formed in one of the flanges of the' mounting plate and in a bearing opening 43 provided in a bearing lug 44 formed as an integral part of the mounting plate and preferably being struck from the body portion thereof. The section 4| of the control shaft ,may freely turn in its bearings, but the extent to which it may be shifted axially is limited by the provision of a CPIiIlB' 45 which is snapped into an annularv groove provided in that portion of the round section of the shaft located between the flange l2 of the mounting plate and the bearing bracket 44. The snap ring thus functions as a stop which is engageable with the flange |2to limit the outward movement of the shaft '40 and is engageable with the bracket 44 to limit the inward movement of the shaft 40. Another c-rlng 41 (see Fig. 4) is snapped into an annular groove provided in that portion of the round section 4| of the shaft 40 adjacent the reduced connecting portion 49. The c-ring 41 abuts against the side members of a notched or forked lug 48 formed integral with the upper end of the ratchet lever 32. With this construction, when the shaft 40 is pressed in the C-ring 41 bears against the lug 48 of the ratchet lever 32 and rocks or swings the ratchet lever 32 to cause it to turn to act through its pawl 3| to rotate the ratchet wheel 30 and consequently the shaft 25 and the rotors |5 through a certain angular distance. y

To facilitate the manipulation or actuation of the shaft 40 it is provided at its outer end with a control knob 46. Each time the switch sections S and S are actuated the knob 46 is pressed inwardly from the position shown in Figures 1, 2, and -3 to the position shown in Figures 8 and 9.

, When the ratchet lever 32 rocks from the position shown in Figure 3 to the position shown in Figure 9 (as it does when knob 40 is pressed inwardly as far as it may be) it moves against the action of a retractile coil spring 31 anchored at one end onthe frame and connected at its other end to the lower end of the ratchet lever 32. And upon release of the knob 45, the tension stored in the spring 31 restores the parts to the position shown in Figure 3.

The shaft 40 also has an inner fiat section 50 connected to outer round section 4| by a reduced connecting portion 49 which is round and is integral with both sections 4| and 50 of the shaft 40. The connecting shaft section 49 is freely rotatable in the notch or slot of lug 48. The inner flattened section 50 of shaft 40 is a sliding fit in a slot 5| formed in a shaft 52. In the embodiment of the invention shown in Figures -1 to 6, 8, and 9, the shaft 52 is the control shaft of a combined volume control and on-and-ofl' switch, designated generally at 53. The shaft 52 is supported in a bearing bushing 54 forming a part of the volume or tone control housing and in turn secured by nuts 55 on one of the flanges I2 of the mounting plate ID. A guide and coupling funnel 56 is telescoped over the slotted portion of the shaft 52 and the flat end of the shaft 40. This construction provides a rotative coupling between the shaft 40 and the operating shaft 52 of the volume control 53 and its on-andoff switch, but one which leaves the control shaft 40 free for reciprocation to exercise its control over the tuning switches S and S. Likewise, variations in the adjustment of the volume or tone control secured by rotation of shaft 40 has no effect upon previous selection of a tuning circuit.

The volume control device and on-and-off or line switch have not been described in detail since they per se form no part of the present invention. Various types of volume controls and line described in the application of Erwin R. Stoekle for "Combined variable resistor and switch," flied December 6, 1935, Serial No. 53,139, and owned by the assignee of this application.

In the form of the invention shown in Figure 7 the shaft 40 has its inner end provided with a flattened section 50 as before. This flattened section 80 slides in an elongated slot 60 provided in the operating shaft 6| of the variable condenser of the type wherein the plates of the condenser are separated by an air dialectric.

In this embodiment of the invention also a single control shaft exercises effective control or regulation over a plurality of control instrumentalities, and the adjustment or control of one does not affect the selection or adjustment previously had over the other.

While I have shown and described several con structions in which the invention may be advantageously embodied, it is to be understood that the constructions shown have been selected merely for the purpose of illustration or example,

and that various changes in the size, shape, and arrangement of the parts may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention or the scope oi the subioined claim.

I claim: A switch mechanism comprising a mounting plate having a body portion and flange portions, a pair of switch sections, each switch section including a stator and a rotor disposed within the confines of the stator, said sections being in alinement and secured to said mounting plate on opposite sides of said body portion, a bearing opening in said body portion, a rotor operating shaft rotatably supported in said opening and couplfi? to each of said rotors, openings in said flange portions, said openings being in alinement and having their common axis offset from the axis of the bearing opening in said body portion, a control shaft supported for axial and rotary movement in one of said openings, said shaft having its inner end adapted for a sliding coupling with the operating shaft of an electrical control instrumentality when secured to a flange portion with such operating shaft rotatably secured in the other of said openings, and motion transmission means between said control shaft and said rotor operating shaft.

HARRY W. RUBINSTEIN. 

